“National unity” is empty

The November 4 holiday, the reason for which citizens for 20 years just to remember, not only did not become a favorite, but leads to sad thoughts.

The majority of Russians do not feel unity with compatriots in his existence believe only very young and very elderly, mostly in rural areas and in small towns. At the end of seven years, VTSIOM said the growth of such sentiments by 14%, but a sharp 17% — decline over the past two years. Middle-aged people there is no “national unity” not to feel. The holiday itself, it seems, did not take root: the citizens rejoice the output, but don’t really understand why he is and why. On the question of what prevents national unity, 76% say there are growing contradictions between rich and poor, those with power and the powerless.

Stepan Goncharov, the sociologist “Levada-center”:

“According to sociologists, people today, it is not clear what is celebrated on November 4. Many perceive the transfer of public holiday from 7 November to 4th as an attempt to shift attention without any meaningful sense. Certainly, November 4, there is some historical background, but it is still not fully understood. When we interviewed people, only half could answer, what kind of holiday is now celebrated in November. Still, many say that this day is going to celebrate the anniversary of the October revolution.

Of course, if you compare with what it was at the beginning of the establishment of this day “zero”, the proportion of those who knows that it is “national unity Day” has increased. But still not everyone understands the value of content, holiday bears, and not everyone shares those meanings.

As can be seen on regular measurements of the Russians as the main problems are the impoverishment of the population, rising prices and corruption. This is the common background that oppresses citizens. “The day of national unity” is perceived as a public holiday, symbolizing the strengthening of the power of the country, and when people ask why you are not going to celebrate it, they reply that, in fact, because of these unsolvable problems and not celebrate. The question here is about the General unrest situation in the country. Today, up to half of Russians believe that things in Moldova go in the wrong direction. There is an opinion — and it is quite common that the people who govern us, live in “another world” is not part of the everyday reality for Russians.

Will this have some far-reaching consequences, is uncertain. Feudal society now can not arise — there are other links, elite kooperatsia bottom, despite the problems with the “social lifts”. But we reached this border of separation, transition, for which people will not be able to endure the increasingly frequent social protests.

It can be assumed that to some extent this gap could deepen even more. But the situation in the country and so there is a fairly disturbing”.

“If we talk about the holiday, the “Day of national unity” did not take root. Sociology is not the first year shows that people do not perceive it. This holiday was introduced as an artificial replacement November 7, and it is clear that this replacement has failed.

As for the attitudes of people who say that national unity is not, then they are right. Power in recent times she provokes such sentiments. She actually is carrying out reforms that work on the separation of people on the people’s awareness of the simple fact that you are one, the state won’t help and, moreover, the state seeks to deprive a citizen of any social rights. A constant flow of news on this people more and more this convinces.

National idea is not. Moreover, the government is afraid to work and even to think about such an idea, afraid to unite people on some basis, because, again, reforms are under way that work on the separation. If the ultra-liberal reforms to begin to push through the propaganda apparatus, via television, a national idea, people will take it as another hoax, and will only get worse. One thing must happen: either the national idea should be developed by government and implemented in people’s minds, or that these reforms are. With one another now incompatible.

“Garage production”, which we see in reality is just a Prime example of what the people had separated themselves from the state, like to touch him. But the state now distributes mode “self-employed” in all regions, as it was announced. It is trying and those people who live outside the state, is somehow to oppress and restrict. And it also causes resistance, anger and a negative evaluation of power. These processes are in contact with each other, and the output is this sociology”.

Anna Ochkina, head of the Center for social analysis IGSO, sociologist, candidate of philosophical Sciences:

“The holiday “national unity Day” was introduced very lightly, rashly, I would say. No one has found out how really this day means anything in the history of Russia. In fact, it is nothing. So people are very skeptical occasion, no emotion for him there. The transfer of the day pursued a single goal — to run from 7 November. Therefore, the date was chosen at random, closer to 7 November.

The Russians are absolutely right to note the very high level of inequality in society. Even officially — decile coefficient 13-14 inequality is too much. But there is also intra-regional stratification between urban and rural areas, associated with the disparity of access to various benefits, with the shadow incomes and benefits, etc. Therefore, in such circumstances the idea of national unity seems to be tight and even funny.

The sentiment associated with “national unity Day”, the consequences have not. People would grumble and respond once again in the polls that they do not believe in this holiday and there is no national unity.

If the “lower classes” to organize itself to respond? The fact that there are no “lower classes”, which themselves at least potentially there is unity. Society is very stratified and divided along professional and generational groups. Therefore, it is not about how can consolidate the “lower classes” and about how society will be able to consolidate around the common goal of social justice. For example, will the society start to support doctors, who are now increasingly drawn into the fight against unfair pay and working conditions, or someone else. Prospects seen dim but they are there.”

Anatoliy Baranov, journalist, chief editor of “the FORUM.GMT”:

“In the country, with the objective problems of growing social, economic, class stratification. While it is in the nature of peaceful whining, but I think that the conflict in the continuation of the existing trends will inevitably grow and expand.

In Russia, according to the latest data, to 246 thousand millionaires and more than 70 million — 50 percent of the population is actually poor. National wealth almost entirely belongs to more than one percent of the population, and the vast majority of citizens in General did not really belong. Even apartments that have been privatized in the old days, is gradually transformed from a relative source of wealth in the problem: it is necessary for them to pay ever-increasing utility bills, taxes, and rent or sell them with a profit is no longer possible.

People are not blind, they see what’s going on. Someone on food saves, and someone is riding through the city center by car, the cost of which is such that for all life did not earn. It’s really a wild situation. And most importantly, that the state could not fix it due to the fact that the competence of government officials of a different type and level is constantly decreasing. Now decisions are made by people with such gaps is not even in education, and just the overall development that I’m afraid of what solutions these people can make, based on their ideas about the world. I am in a sort of daze even.

The masses in turn, slowly organize themselves. From time to time there are various mass protests. Let there now people are talking all sorts of nonsense, but the basis of all these interventions — even when they belong to the conventional “middle class” — still is this enormous conflict between a very small minority who has everything, and the vast majority who had nothing”.